Press Releases, 25.10.2017 | Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

OECD peer review of Finland's development cooperation almost complete

Press release 185/201725 October 2017

The Development Assistance Committee of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) is in the process of finalising a peer review of Finland’s development cooperation efforts. The review report to be published in December praises Finland for its provision of rapid and flexible humanitarian aid, while it also urges Finland to prepare a schedule for raising its development assistance to meet the target level of 0.7% of GNI.

The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) has been engaged in the peer review process examining the Finnish development policy and development cooperation for about a year. The review process culminates in a peer review meeting to be held in Paris on 25 October. In the meeting, Finland will present its responses to the examiners’ observations and recommendations. The Finnish delegation is led by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen.

The peer review examines the recent-year trends in the Finnish development cooperation and takes a look at how Finland has managed to address the previous recommendations issued by the OECD.

Finland is praised for providing humanitarian aid in a rapid and flexible manner. Finland receives recognition also for the fact that it has successfully concentrated its assistance on select partner countries and thematic priorities. Concentration on areas where Finland has own expertise has further enhanced the impact of Finland’s development cooperation efforts. These include the promotion of the rights of women and girls and the position of disabled people in the development cooperation.

In the review meeting, Finland will present its achievements in the field of disability inclusion to the other DAC members.

“Finland has engaged in long-term efforts to improve the position of people with disabilities since the 1980s. Our cooperation with disabled people's own organisations is downright unique in the international scale,” says Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen.

Peer reviews conducted by the OECD Development Assistance Committee provide member countries with an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices. The review process is characterised by constructive criticism: the reviewed member is encouraged to further improve its development cooperation.

Finland is urged to draw up a scheduled roadmap on how it will raise the level of its official development assistance to the set target level of 0.7% of GNI.

The peer review also examines another priority area in the Finnish development policy, i.e. the advancement of the economies of developing countries through collaboration with the private sector. The review calls for Finland to outline more precise policies for the cooperation with the private sector. Finland is also encouraged to ensure that emphasising the role of the private sector does not draw attention away from eradication of poverty.

“Eradicating extreme poverty and reducing poverty and inequality are the main objectives for our development policy. These objectives cannot, however, be achieved, if developing countries do not manage to enhance their economies and create jobs. This is what Finland’s cooperation with the private sector is all about. The cooperation also places emphasis on the enhancement of climate know-how in the developing countries,” Minister Mykkänen says.

The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD conducts reviews of the development cooperation efforts of each Committee member every five years. Spain and Italy served as the examiners and Israel as the observer in the review of Finland. The peer review report will be published in Helsinki on 8 December.

Inquiries: Satu Santala, Director General of the Department for Development Policy, tel. +358 40 752 1770, and Pasi Rajala, Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, tel. + 358 400 464 393.

The Foreign Ministry’s email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi.